This blog started off by focussing on NZ's smaller 3rd level airlines, past and present. It has evolved to trying to present some record of NZ's domestic airline operations and some of the larger charter operators, interesting NZ international airliner movements and photos I have taken around the country. Comments, corrections or contributions are welcome, Steve - westland831@gmail.com

24 September 2016

Air2there flies Originair's resumed services

This appeared on the Originair website on 21 September 2016...

Originair to work with Air2there

Originair would like to advise that due to future planning considerations the company will be working with Air2there on Nelson to Palmerston North services from the 23rd September. Flights will proceed as planned by services provided to Originair by Air2there, using a twin engine aircraft, until Jetstream operations commence.

On the 23rd...

Piper PA31-350 Chieftain ZK-VIP operated Originair's services on 23 September and it flew Paraparaumu to Nelson before flying the Nelson-Palmerston North-Nelson Originair service before returning to Paraparaumu using air2there callsigns.

In Auckland BAe Jetstream 32 ZK-ECI has been sitting in the hangar here on jacks for a number of days but was rolled out on the 22nd of September and is now sitting at Auckland airport.

And then on Stuff on the 23rd...

Originair winged back into Palmerston North on Friday afternoon, reviving a regular service between the city and Nelson after a five-month break. The small airline began flying between the two centres in August 2015 after Air New Zealand had withdrawn its service earlier in the year. But the airline was grounded in April when the Civil Aviation Authority placed temporary restrictions stopping Air Freight NZ Ltd from operating Originair's planes. As the link resumed, a small nine-seater aircraft operated by Air2There would be flying the route for Originair. The larger Jetstream would move back into service within a few months. Originair managing director Robert Inglis said he could not be more pleased about the timing of the return of the service this weekend. "If it had been last weekend, we would not have got off the ground, as Nelson Airport was closed by weather last Friday and Saturday." Originair had not been a complete stranger to Palmerston North during the break, providing some charter services. He said the plan was to slowly start building up the service to higher frequency during the high summer season. "The support is stronger for the Friday to Sunday market at the moment, but we will start to build the schedule." Inglis said so far there was good support for seats on the flights in both directions. Palmerston North Airport chief executive David Lanham said it was good to see another route restored. He said the schedule was initially targeted toward a seasonal, leisure market, and he hoped it would be extended to cater for the business market. "It is a really welcome return of a connection that proved very popular. "Robert Inglis and his team have been working really hard to get this far. It's hard for the little guys out there, and we really hope they can consolidate and grow." The initial schedule would see Originair flying from Nelson to Palmerston North on Monday and Wednesday early in the morning, and mid-afternoon on Fridays and Sundays. The aircraft would return from Palmerston North to Nelson on Monday and Wednesday mornings, Friday and Sunday afternoons.